Reaction to Honda's
CR-Z two-seater has been mixed. While the vehicle attempts to
capture some of the essence of the CRX which came two decades before
it, its performance (0 to 60 mph in around 10 seconds) and fuel
economy aren't exactly inspiring given its hybrid powertrain.

The CR-Z only manages to achieve 31/37
mpg (city/highway) with a manual transmission and 36/38 mpg with a
CVT transmission -- both figures are well below that of the larger
and heavier Toyota
Prius.

Hyundai, which is doing its best to
punch Toyota and Honda (among others) right in the throat, is now
said to be setting its targets on the CR-Z. According to Autoblog,
the upcoming Hyundai Veloster -- the replacement for the Hyundai
Tiburon -- will achieve
40 mpg by using a regular four-cylinder engine. This shouldn't be
too hard a target for Hyundai to reach considering that its
3,200-pound Sonata midsize sedan can already
hit 35 mpg on the highway.

While the CR-Z needs a hybrid
powertrain to extract somewhat disappointing fuel economy numbers
given its 2,750-pound weight, Hyundai says that it needs no such
excess baggage. The lighter Veloster is said to be powered by a
1.6-liter engine producing around 140 hp. For comparison, Honda's
CR-Z is powered by a 122 hp four-cylinder engine coupled with a 13 hp
electric motor.

And if toppling the CR-Z in fuel
economy and performance wasn't enough, Hyundai will likely also
undercut the pricing of the CR-Z as well due to the Veloster's lack
of an expensive hybrid powertrain and batteries. The Veloster also
comes with the added utility of seating for four people instead of
only two like the CR-Z

"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." -- Scientology founder L. Ron. Hubbard